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Hannah

“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.”

-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A consideration of the work of Andrea Pallaoro.

Demonstrating immense potential in the artistic pedigree of David Lynch or Peter Strickland’s “Duke of Burgundy” in using lighting, composition, set and sound design, Pallaoro’s short film, “WunderKammer,” is the natural starting point and first glimmer of promise from this young director.

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Next came Madeas—taking from the cinematographical genius of Terrence Malick stripped of its voiceover narrative and sound inundation, Pallaoro’s first feature set a promising attempt in grappling with the geographical and familial dryness of environment. Despite its slow and empty narrative, here was a film of startlingly ability for using the absence of sound to build on a families tension towards what felt like an inevitable violent-end. It was not to be, and we remained waiting for something truly awe-inspiring.

And so next came Hannah—adding little to the work in Madeas, Pallaoro taps into significant topics of the demons of Charlotte Rampling’s husband’s sexual proclivity, having to overcome these thoughts while continuing her day-to-day existence. Seeking to find moments of catharsis in performance theatre and yet unable to eventually continue in what again feels like an ending deserving of violence. Again, Pallaoro adds little by way of dialogue, nothing by way of musical composition, and ultimately depends entirely on his ability to stage a scene through still life. It remains reminiscent of Haneke’s Amour, which, as discussed, brings him into an incredibly competent trifecta between Lynch, Malick, and Haneke. However, despite the filming ability, the writing is largely non-existent, which makes the viewing experience stupendously dull. While each of Pallaoro’s films have been an improvement, the difference is marginal, with a sense that the young director is still searching for his art form.